1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machines that form wire from a continuous coil to include oppositely disposed loops and which have a cut-off mechanism for cutting the wire to provide springs of a selected length.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Machines of the type to which this invention relates are utilized to make either "sinuous" springs or "formed wire" springs. Sinuous springs have oppositely disposed loops with curved ends so as to provide a generally sinuous path of wire forming the spring. Formed wire springs have oppositely disposed square loops including straight wire portions joined by sharp angle bends. Both of these types of springs are utilized in seating applications to provide resilient support for seat padding between spaced seat frame members. Certain springs have a relatively high upwardly curved configuration extending between the frame members and are referred to as "high arc" springs. These high arc springs are deflected during assembly to attach opposite ends thereof to the frame members and have generally circular shapes in their undeflected state prior to this deflection. Other springs of this type have a relatively low degree of upward curvature extending between the frame members and have elongated shapes in their undeflected state of a relatively long length. Also, certain seat constructions incorporate elongated edge springs of a relatively short length adjacent the frame members to provide resilient support adjacent thereto with a lessened amount of padding.
Manufacturing of the type of wire springs discussed above is performed on machines like those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,188,406, 2,998,045, 3,071,168 and 3,172,431. Wire from a continuous coil is bent to form the spring loops during operation of these machines and is then cut by a cut-off mechanism after the bending to provide the completed spring. In the past, the machine operator has stood next to the machine and grasped the springs during operation of the cut-off mechanism as the springs are cut from the wire of the rest of the coil. Spring deflection and consequent rebounding movement as the wire is severed by the cut-off mechanism is thus prevented by the operator's manual grasp of the springs as he or she stands relatively close to the cut-off mechanism.